Do you think it's time for another American revolution?

Our government is out of control.our rights are being taken away a little more everyday. Big corporations are buying our elected officials into office. The health care law is too expensive, our veterans arent getting the treatment they deserve. Government officials were never intended to get paid. government assistance programs are spending way too much, our debt is rising everyday, and I don't see any changes coming anytime soon.

Do you think a 2nd revolution will get our country back to how it used to be? When government actually worked for the people. Do you think a second revolution is even possible? If so... what are we waiting for?

Oct 25 2013:
What makes you think the replacement government will be any better?

Violent revolution rarely works out the way you want it to. The new regime has all the problems the old regime had to deal with, alongside the damage caused by the revolution on top of it (which depending on the circumstances, could range from minimal, to a violent civil war that lasted for years and left the country torn to pieces).

Civil wars and revolutions also come with a nasty side effect of favoring the side which was strongest militarily, as opposed to say, enjoyed popular support, is ideologically committed to helping the people, or would make for good peacetime leadership. Which is why most revolutions have a track record of leaving a country worse off than it started, even when the fighting wasn't that bad.

If you want to study an example of how it should not be done, look at the middle east's recent Arab Spring. At Syria in particular, for a look at a worse case scenario of what replacing an existing government by force of arms may devolve into.

Oct 26 2013:
Semantics mostly. Revolution implies violent upheaval as far as I'm concerned. The peaceful sort would have a different name, is all, and is apparently rare enough that I can't seem to place what name that would be.

You don't call the collapse of the Soviet Union, the fall of Apartheid, or the succession of India from British rule revolutions, after all.

Oct 26 2013:
Well, the overthrow of the East German government by the east German people we call a peaceful revolution.

Semantics goes either way. What counts is the peaceful change of a ruling system.

And no, nobody knows if what follows will be better, yet anybody knows that without change things will stay as they are or even get worse. It does help not only to oppose, yet also have ideas about what to change for things to turn out better.

Oct 27 2013:
I am afraid we are again on opposing banks of the same river.

Even though I am absolutely positive that violence should not take part in revolutions, I can also imagine situations, in which it can and also should not be avoided and this by the valid interest of self-defense.

Whenever a regime or occupying power decides to systematically kill people or to conduct a genocide, a non violent response would only create victims with to little or non hope to ever succeed. In those situations counterviolence out of self-defense does not cause more problems than it solves, as any life saved in this process out-weights the trouble it created in doing so. And because such situation are highly traumatic to the people of a nation who are trying to survive, it will take a long time to mentally recover from it, even when they finally succeeded at the end.

Oct 27 2013:
I think it was always bad
1. 1892 - Johnson County War - Cattle Barons hired 50 killers from Texas, paid them to kill and burn out settlers . The pay was 5 dollars a day and 50 dollars for each person killed. They were trapped by a posse of 200. They screamed for help and were rescued by the US Army. They were never brought to trial and were released. It is said they killed 20 people before being trapped.
2. 1932 - 25,000 men, women and children were petitioning to get the veterans bonus early. They were driven and burnt out by infantry with bayonet, tanks, and cavalry with drawn sabers. All the men were veterans of WWI and were with their families. The troops were led by Douglas MacArthur and Dwight Eisenhower. They used tear gas and 2 children died from the gas.
3. 1933 - A group of elite were scared by FDR's 100 days and planned a coup. They were never brought to trial and Congress refused to investigate.

Oct 28 2013:
Wow. That's upsetting. My grandfather, dad and uncle are retired marines fought in the wars of their generations, and get thrown to the dogs as a "thank you", :/ I understand the abundance of veterans k know they can't all get a million bucks, but in my opinion they deserve a lot more than what they get. :/

Oct 29 2013:
I thought one world gnment was merely an idea. I mean I didn't know rules and agenda were madethank you for informing me I will look into it.

Bob Ive never heard anything similar to your opinion on obamacare. I'm intrigued. & delighted to use your perspective as I continue to find my own opinion. :)
Ankle you for the kind words Bob! And you do the same :)

Oct 29 2013:
Nothing will change until the structure itself is changed. Revolution that retains the top down hierarchy will end up with similar bozo's at the top at some time or another.

Party politics are all about special interest groups getting what they want and screw anyone else. Political parties are just another special interest group wanting to impose its own agendas (hidden or otherwise), prejudices and ideologies upon their populations. As long as we continue with top down hierarchies that allow a handful of people to decide for the rest of us we are simply setting ourselves up to be abused by them at some point.

The system is rotten and the system itself needs to be changed before any other relevant change can occur and that is why so many people are interested in Direct Democracy. An added bonus with D.D. is that there is no violence and the only dying is from the regular causes such as fat, sugar and arrogance (your own or someone else's)
:)

Oct 26 2013:
“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new”- Socrates
Revolution was my first thought also but I realized when George W. Crazy was voted in and then after watching the inevitable destruction he led us into and then to be voted back for another four years of even worse destruction, I realized that America has a much deeper problem than just leadership. We have a major portion of our population with what I would call deep emotional and physical troubles. Even if you had a revolution more than half of your soldiers are not physically or mentally fit for service. The only place they would run is to McDonalds and that would be the end of your revolution and the only fighting would be who is first in line. In order to have a revolution you need people who would stand up and fight, in America most people will not even stand up to change the channel on the TV. It's not our leaders fault alone they are just a reflection of the greed, sloth and violence that permeates the population. Revolution, some can't even spell revolution and a good portion do not even speak the same language.

Oct 28 2013:
However comical a few 0f your statements were, I know its true. Ive grown up in San Antonio Texas and I feel like I was cheated of an education because I was surrounded by idiots. The Texas board of education seems to. Dumb down the curriculum every couple years. Its almost like who ever is in charge is just ok with raising new generations of ignorance.

And the language barrier.. well that's inevitable in a nation of immigrants. But the desire to learn. Other languages is just non existant in alot of my peers.( I'm currently studying German with Spanish & sign language under my belt& Russian & Chinese to go)
People just don't care anymore, but when they start caring its going to be too late.

Oct 26 2013:
Bambi, I never thought I would hear so much talk about anarchy in my life time. In various forms I hear it daily now. We have the tools in place to enact change ... its called a vote. There are various statistics but they all say the same thing .. only a small percentage of people vote.

In general I agree with what you are saying. The problem is that these programs are being "sold" to a public that hears what it wants. They hear that Obamacare is "free" health care. Obamacare is about insurance. The cost of insurance is the same ... the difference is that it is being subsidized heavily. The difference is who is paying for it. It is designed for failure so that the government, by law, can implement National Health Care ... socialism.

We have spawned generational welfare mentality in the US and that is being reflected in the vote. We once sought to assist people with needs ... the "new" society now calls these entitlements.

Change is not always for the better. The shadow government of the US and its architect George Soros and chief operating officer Harold Ickes .... have tremendous effect and control over the administration. The single goal is One World Government ... with Soros at the head ... King George. He is dedicated to the eradication of the Republican Party. Why?

A return to a Constitutional Government would eliminate many of the concerns of a corrupt government and reverse the elite direction they have taken of being above or outside of the very laws they pass.

Oct 28 2013:
Hi Bob
What about the dead people that have been voting? Obviously a scheme to fix the votes. If our voting is corrupted our voices are silenced. I don't think a one world government is a bad idea at all, however whims to say what laws. should be implemented? Then comes the religion aspect which acts as the wedge stopping any kind of positive advancement. Not to mention alot of the countries would be disputing giving their women the right to think without asking permission.

Every religion Ive looked in to is summed up the same, yet carried out so differently. If we could all just agree on "the greater good" one world government might be possible.

I'm not 100% on the exact protocol of obamacare but I will say this, I agree we need healthcare. But wouldn't supply and demand suggest the cos be t lowered with so many people being forced to have it? The research I've done shows an increased cost doesn't make sense to me. And quite honestly as a college student a mother and occupational server, I can't afford this at least until after graduation anyway

Oct 28 2013:
Bambi, You, like many others, may have misunderstood Obamacare. It is not about healthcare. It is designed for failure and to cause a death spiral in the insurance companies. When it fails ... because there is a law in place ... the federal government will come forward with National health care just as both Hilary and Obama want. To support that the taxes will go to approximately 40% as they are in the countries that have mass social programs .... and are falling apart such as in the EU.

Now you understand why the elite leadership voted themselves out of the program. Just as in the communist and socialist countries the elite are above the law and have special treatment. They would never subject themselves to the common treatment given the people.

I would suggest that you read up on George Soros and Harold Ickes the two principles of the shadow government. Then you would better understand what the intent of One World Government is. You may also be interested in UN Article 21 that Hilary pledged the United States to.

The increased costs are to offset the death spiral ... the system is based on the young and healthy paying high costs for services they do not need. When they refuse and pay the $95 fine imposed the insurance companies will have nothing coming in and a lot going out for the older and sicker policy holders ... do you now see the design for failure. This is a political game where the administration is saying you are so stupid that you will not figure it out until it is to late.

The government shut down was not about Obamacare ... it was about the rampant spending that has put us 17 trillion dollars in debit.

You are just a pon in the administrations effort to change the USA to a socialist country and a move to the one world government of King Soros.

Good luck in your studies and the best to your family. I wish you well, Bob.

Oct 28 2013:
Well depending on how far back but id say not much better. We're always fighting for something better, women's rights, abolition of slavery equal right, etc
now all we're fighting for is homosexual marriage. There's much bigger issues at hand that we're just ignoring.

Oct 26 2013:
Revolution began America.
Revolution will save it.
Of course it is needed, by any means available.
Most all peaceful methods are being outlawed, removed and fear of doing anything at all replaces
those options in the terrified minds of American'ts.
It won't be peaceful because those in power love war and will not allow peace.
But, most American'ts chime together with, "oh, yes, but let's be peaceful.'
Right. Forget saving your country then. You obviously don't value the truth, live
by the truth, want the truth, trust the truth and worst of all, can no longer identify the truth,
even though it has been slapping American'ts in the face for decades.
They do nothing.
They want it easy.

Oct 28 2013:
I agree with you aswell! Although peaceful would be ideal, its impossible. But like you said people don't care. Americans have proven themselves lazy and wilfully ignorant. Which is the worst kind in my opinion. Bit like a previous comment stated the Victor will be the side with the money and resources. I don't own a gun but I don't want the right to own one disappearing. Needless to say the fight would be doomed, and devastating .

When will the devastation be worth the idea of revolution? When people start giving a crap.

Oct 28 2013:
I got ya Random. What about this idea? The oppressed get up and leave the country. I don't need a country, I seek good people in this world. I say let them have it all and fight among themselves. When they are through with what they were, well...there's a peaceful revolution :B How long do you think that would take?

The official website of the National Security Agency, NSA.gov, is offline and has been for several hours.
Not only that, but the rumor being jubilantly spread around the net is that it is a deliberate denial-of-service attack. Downtime-tracking service Isitdownrightnow.... (I read no further, I was whooping and laughing to hard.)
===
To: Washington DC -- The handwriting is on the wall.
===
It is high time that Edward Snowden was not the only whistle-blower.

Out of a reported 850,000 US government employees with Top Secret or higher clearances, you'd think
there would be others to come forward, with their knowledge of secret activities that need to be exposed
for the illegal actions they are.

Come on you honest guys and gals. We know that you know the illegal stuff. Tell us the dirty secrets.
===
A government that will not be honest with it's citizens, over a period now exceeding 45 years, needs to be
brought up by the short hairs.

Oct 25 2013:
i think that what is happening is similar to the social and political upheaval of the 1960's.

i don't think that revolution is the answer - there needs to be an alternative (and preferably improved) system ready to go to replace the old. usually, there isn't.

what we're all ready for is a renaissance, by which i mean a 'revolution in the head'.

i do believe that we will have to wait for a tipping point or critical mass but that's not far away. preferably carried out without violence. that never works cos it's exactly how the old boys play ball and they know all the tricks..:)

Oct 25 2013:
Here is one suggestion for an evolutionary revolution: a quote by Percy Redfern, written nearly 100 years ago in 1920, from his book "The Consumers' Place in Society" (section 12), in relation to the beginnings of the Co-operative movement which started in Manchester, U.K.

"In our common everyday needs the great industries of the world take their rise. We — the mass of common men and women in all countries— also compose the world's market. To sell to us is the ultimate aim of the world's business. Hence it is ourselves as consumers who stand in a central relation to all the economics of the world, like a king in his kingdom. As producers we go each unto a particular factory, farm or mine, but as consumers we are set by nature thus to give leadership, aim and purpose to the whole economic world. That we are not kings, but serfs in the mass, is due to our failure to think and act together as consumers and so realise our true position and power".

We are not oppressed by our government, food is in good supply, there are opportunities, we have the freedom to worship or not as we wish, and there are many other things that make living in our country very desirable.

There are many problems. We need to focus on trying to solve these problems. Kennedy's words "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." (http://www.powerfulwords.info/speeches/John_F_Kennedy/5.htm). Let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Instead, let's focus on self improvement, self-sufficiency, self-control, work ethic, responsible behavior, and good citizenship. Let's work to reduce greed, intolerance, parasitic social practices, and unhealthy living behaviors. Let's strive to propagate the truth and suppress hype, spin, and attempts for mass mind control by various media, corporate, and religious organizations. Let's change the focus from short-term solutions and thinking to a healthy balance of both long-term ans short-term thinking, but with an emphasis on sustained improvements to infrastructure, services, environmental protection, education, and health.

There are a lot of ways to help change our country to something better without focusing on the negative. There are many positive attributes.

The challenge to all is to find ways you can do something good for your country and build an improve version.

Revolutions destroy a lot and as Mr. Tropp points out, there is no guarantee the aftermath will be any better. If we work on an improved government through evolution, the chances for an improved nation are increased.